Yellow could change Spurs luck

Tuesday 19 February 2002 00:00 BST

If Cup omens are anything to go by, Tottenham may have finally been handed an unlikely lucky charm by the Football League.

Spurs have already lost the toss to Blackburn, that gives the Lancastrians "home" advantage and choice of shirts, and been handed the unlucky end for the Worthington Cup Final at the Millennium Stadium.

Their opponents also allegedly beat them to the "lucky" hotel in the area.

On top of all that, the League then ordered Tottenham to abandon their traditional away kit of light blue for the final because it clashes with Blackburn's blue and white halves.

So Spurs have had to make a new yellow strip as a one-off for the match. It won't even be sold in the club shop.

However, the change of strip could be a good omen as the last time Spurs wore yellow in an important game was in the 1982 FA Cup Final replay when current manager Glenn Hoddle scored the only goal to beat Queens Park Rangers.

Tottenham's initial bad luck started when the Football League tossed a coin to determine the home team for this Sunday's final.

"Blackburn won," explained a Spurs spokesman. "This meant that they could wear their home strip and we would therefore have to change. The yellow shirt will be worn solely for the final and will not go on general sale."

Spurs supporters were then allocated the "unlucky" South Stand, which although nearer the main station, was home to all seven losing sets of supporters in last season's matches held at the ground.

Then they found out Blackburn were claiming victory in the "lucky" hotel stakes. It is being claimed that both teams tried to book the Vale Hotel, Golf and Country Club, but Blackburn won the day because their striker Mark Hughes uses it when he takes charge as manager of Wales.

Both teams wanted to stay in the plush hotel because of its facilities and the "Liverpool luck factor".

They beat Birmingham City in last year's Worthington final, Arsenal in the FA Cup Final and Manchester United in the Charity Shield while guests of the hotel. Port Vale also stayed there before defeating Brentford in the LDV Vans Trophy at the Cardiff stadium. It meant that nearly all of English football's silverware was paraded through the marble foyer of the hotel.

A hotel spokesman said: "A confidentiality agreement prevents us discussing the details, but I can confirm that Mark Hughes has often been a very welcome guest here." Spurs have opted for another five-star hotel in the area.